PJO Halloween One-shots
by firebenderAnnabeth
Summary: Nine one shots based on our favorite demigods for Halloween. Warning: Blood and death ensues!
1. The Mutilated Soldier

**Hello again! So in the spirit of Halloween, I stated on the tumblr group that I am a part of (pjoaus) that I'm writing a short one-shot on our favorite 9 demigods based on tumblr user lmpadora's pjo Halloween Challenge. Which I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU LOOK AT PLEASE.**

 **So for day 1, we have Frank! Context is:** Takes place in 154 BC. Conflict is this little war called The Rebellion of the Seven States. It was an actual conflict between Seven Chinese Princes wanting to stop the Emperor of China from centralizing the Chinese government.

For sake of the story, Frank is called Zhang Fai. And to clear up some potentially confusing terms, I'm gonna define and explain them.

Emperor Jing- Emperor at the time of the conflict coming from the Han Dynasty

Xia- an ancient name for China

Qin Shi Huang- The First Emperor of China

Okay, enjoy! Link to the pictures are on my profile.

 **154 BC, Eastern China**

War was on the horizon. The Seven Princes were starting to militarize their armies to defeat the great Han Dynasty. Zhang Fai, a prominent military leader for Emperor Jing had asked him to come back for service. He had come from a long line of strong leaders for the Chinese Imperial Army and would do anything for his country.

Zhang Fai walked up to the jade doors leading to the throne room of the Emperor. The two men guarding the doors stood up straight and bowed down to Zhang Fai as a form of respect. Keeping a stone face he did the same before the doors opened up before him. In the back of the room, sitting on a jade and gold throne was Emperor Jing in his regal robes.

Fire in bronze torches were lighting up the room dimly casting shadows over everything in sight. Emperor Jing sat with his back straight radiating power from the seat. Zhang Fai walked up and got down on his knee and bowed his head as a sign of great respect. There was silence for a few moments.

"My greatest general, stand up before me," he commanded.

Zhang Fai stood up his right hand going over to where his sword was strapped to his hip. He wasn't in his military uniform, but he had just traveled far from his home in Northern China and was in his commoner clothes. He didn't dare speak until he was requested to do so.

"As you know, there is a rebellion in the works," Emperor Jing began.

Zhang Fai nodded his head in acknowledgment. He knew all about the rebellion that was starting. He figured he would be called in to crush it before it got out of hand. He glanced up at the Emperor's stone eyes.

"I need you to rally up your troops and head out to the battle ground to crush these petty princes."

"When would you like me to head out by my Emperor?" Zhang Fai asked.

"As soon as possible. Dismissed."

* * *

Zhang Fai was mounted on his chestnut horse standing above his cohort. He was wearing the traditional armor made of a coat of plates covering his bulky torso, with lamellar armor on top of it. His helmet was painted black with gold and made out of steel with red horse plume coming from the top.

He held the reins of his horse tightly as he was going back and forth on the hill above his soldiers. They were well trained by himself, disciplined like no other cohort in the Imperial Army. They all stood up straight and uniform before him making sure they were all ready for battle. Zhang Fai took his hands off the reins to grab his quiver from his shoulder. He raised it high into the air.

"Soldiers!" he boomed.

The echo of their armor moving to salute him in uniform filled Zhang Fai with pride for his fellow men. They all stood stiff and looked like statues on the battle ground. There was at least two thousand underneath his orders.

"My fellow comrades, today we fight for our Emperor. Our Emperor who has given us everything we have and who the gods from above have sent down to represent our people and keep the pride of Xia in tact!" Zhang Fai screamed for all to hear.

All his soldiers in response yelled back with enthusiasm to lay down their life for their Emperor and nation. He had trained them well and he was proud of every single man down there. His men were from all different places, with different backgrounds and statuses. Some were just peasant farmers who looked to leave their farm, others were from wealthy families there to honor their ancestors and family bloodline. Zhang Fai was one of those men. The Zhang bloodline has been filled with men warriors all the way back to the Zhou dynasty and Zhang Fai was not going to break that tradition.

He turned his horse away from his men to see the opponents on the opposite side of the open plain. There weren't nearly as many men on that side, and they didn't look as organized. To Zhang Fai, they looked like a militia of the Prince's royal subjects. Zhang Fai sensed an easy victory today.

In the distance, a horn was blowing signalling the start of the battle. Zhang Fai turned around and pointed his bow to the horn bearer who did the same. He did a battle cry and ordered all his men to charge. The rest of the cavalry rode on their horses, drawing and notching their first arrows and letting them fly.

The clash of swords and the ripping of flesh was amplified on the battlefield. Archers on horseback stayed towards the edges of the fight notching arrows and killing from a distance. Zhang Fai, an archer himself did that when he was only a cadet in the army. Now that he was a general, he couldn't stay back while his men get killed. If he was going to die in an honorable way, he would have to die with his men.

An arrow caught his horse making his steed go down with a anguished scream coming from him. Zhang Fai jumped off and rolled to the ground before jumping back into it again. It was complete chaos with screams coming from every direction.

He started running and shooting every soldier who came near him. He had deadly accuracy and never missed a shot. But he soon ran out of arrows in his quiver, giving him no choice but to yank the ones he used out of the dead corpses and store them back into his quiver again. But he knew that shooting his opponents would be only effective for a short time. He strapped his bow onto his back and took out his sword out of its sheath. Zhang Fai immediately swung down on an opponent with a roar. His head was cut clean off his neck and laid in a puddle of crimson.

This exact moment was what he trained for his entire life. Given away to the military from a young age by his mother, he was raised at a military camp. It was pounded into his head time and time again that he would fight and give his life to the Emperor so that he may make his descendants proud. All that training was coming into play right now in the midst of this bloody battle.

He ran through the chaos slashing and hacking any enemy that came his way. Zhang Fai had this feeling of confidence flow over him. Everything he saw was crystal clear and he could spot every miniscule detail on the battlefield. Normally Zhang Fai wasn't one for extreme violence, he was more passive. But he knew that his Emperor needed him and his services. Men kept dying at the hands of his sword. Their screams of pain echoed inside his ears.

As he scanned the battleground, the grass was stained red. Bodies from both sides piled on each other and scattered across the flat land. The stench of death hung heavily in the air as the last of the soldiers on both sides fought valiantly for their causes.

Suddenly Zhang Fai felt something pierce his armor and go through his abdomen. He was shocked as he looked down and saw the tip of a spear peaking out with his blood on it. From inside the armor he could feel his blood dripping down his body like the Huang Ho river. He slowly turned around to find the culprit only to see him dead on the ground as well. A second later he felt an arrow pierced his eye and go through his skull. Zhang Fai dropped to his knees in an agonizing cry of pain. He was withering on the ground in a river of red. He could feel his soul getting ready to leave his mortal body.

Zhang Fai heard the voice of his lieutenant crying out to him. In a state of haze he could see the faint shadow of him. He was fussing over the general. Zhang Fai gave a small smile to his loyal lieutenant.

"You are in charge now," he muttered.

The man took a deep breath and nodded. He looked up searching for the remaining soldiers fighting on the ground. The sun was going down in the west signaling the end of the first day of battle. All the men on both sides started retreating to their camps. Zhang Fai felt his soldiers pick him up and start walking. But he was going in and out of consciousness and couldn't tell left from right and up from down. The pain of the spear and arrow had numbed at this point to a dull throb. He felt himself lying down on a table.

"He is the best general we have. We cannot afford to lose him," a hushed voice came.

"I was hoping to never have to use this, but I do not think we have a choice," another whispered.

"The Emperor himself gave this to me to ensure that General Zhang does not die before winning."

"If we must, then we shall. Give it to me please."

Zhang Fai could make out the shadows of two figures hunched over him. There was a red glow coming from the hands of the man on his left. The red glow slowly got closer to him until it was placed into his eye socket where his right eye once was. Instantly Zhang Fai's back arched up and he screamed in pain. The two men pushed him down back onto the table trying to stabilize him.

"General Zhang the pain shall only last a moment," the man's calm voice said.

"With the stone of Qin Shi Huang, you shall be our secret weapon," the other muttered.

A calm came across Zhang Fai and he felt stronger than ever before closing his eyes on the table.

Zhang Fai should've died that day in battle. It would've been a warrior's death, worthy of stories for generations to come. Instead he would become a myth that would scare children. He was the mutilated soldier.

* * *

 **That's a wrap! Tomorrow will be Reyna's story! Read and review!**

 **Thanks a ton guys! xoxo**


	2. The Gladiator

**Reyna is up for today! Context: 66 AD in Ancient Rome under the reign of Emperor Nero.**

 **Terms: Gladiatrix- female gladiator (yes, they were real)**

 **Emperor Nero- 5th Emperor of Rome, known for setting Rome on fire and was a crazy son of a bitch.**

 **Warning: blood, gore and death.**

* * *

 **66 AD, Roman Empire**

Reyna inhaled the musty air. With her eyes closed and her right hand tightly gripping the spear, she mentally prepared herself. She has trained her entire life for this moment. Picked out from a young age, and raised to be a gladiatrix. There were few who were deemed worthy enough for a status that equals a male gladiator. And now all her training has led to this event; her debut in the Colosseum for all of Rome to see.

Her father was a well known warrior in his tribe over in Iberia. The Romans had taken notice of him immediately and used him to help them. All the fathers of the Ramírez tribe had been great leaders for Rome. They had fought in the Punic Wars for Rome against Hannibal and Carthage. Her bloodline was extremely loyal to Rome.

She opened up her eyes and looked around her. She was in a holding cell preparing herself for the fight. She was standing on hay and the air was hot and humid. The only light in the area was the faint glow of her breastplate and Imperial gold spear tip. Reyna could feel the slight tremble of the people in the stands chanting for blood and death. It didn't make her doubt her skill though. Reyna was the best gladiatrix Rome had, and she was willing to prove it.

She walked over to one of the columns and laid her spear against it. Reyna cracked all her knuckles before taking her hair out of it's bun. Her nimble fingers plaited her hair down her back and she tied it off with a piece of black string.

When she was finished she heard someone clear their throat. She turned around and faced an Imperial guard. His face was stoic, but she knew what he was here for. Reyna nodded and picked up her spear and straightened her back and armor before walking up to him. All he did was grunt making Reyna roll her eyes behind his back and followed him. As they made it towards the tunnel she was going to emerge from, the cheering got louder. Torches lit the dim tunnel and cast an eerie glow.

The guard pushed her forward which earned him a piercing glare from her. Reyna stuck her chin up and walked out into the arena. When she emerged the roar of the crowd washed over her eardrums, nearly making her deaf. But she didn't let any form of emotion on her face. She was to remain stoic. Her opponent had entered from the other end of the arena.

Reyna knew her well. Her name was Claudia and she was her arch rival in the cohorts and the academy. Her dark blonde hair was tied up in a high and tight ponytail. Her eyes were an ice blue, making it hard to keep eye contact with her for longer than a minute. She was dressed in the same attire as Reyna: a golden breastplate, leather skirt that went to their mid thighs and lace up sandals. In her left hand was a gladius, her weapon of choice.

Claudia charged beginning the battle between the two gladiatrices. The crowd went wild but Reyna learned to tune them out quickly. The blonde came swinging and Reyna turned to the side. She would be on the defensive until she could figure out the chink in Claudia's armor. She kept slashing at Reyna who would block with her spear and occasionally make a jab. The fierceness in the ice blue eyes were enough to make a person falter. But Reyna knew that she had the same look in her eyes as well. She let out a growl and finally decided to go onto the offensive.

Claudia was clearly taken off guard at the change of positions, but took it in stride anyway. She was always Reyna's closest and most competitive competitor. In practice fights, theirs would last longer than any others. Both were fierce and determined to win no matter what the cost. And now they both knew only one of them would be coming out alive from the arena in the next few minutes. That was the only downside to this life. From the very beginning you are destined to die in a fight to the death for entertainment. But if you fight strongly enough, and you die, people will still remember your name. And that's what Reyna wanted to achieve. If she died today, she still wanted people to remember her.

In her anger she managed to stab Claudia in the side with her spear. It wasn't a fatal blow like Reyna intended it to be, but it was still lethal enough. She yanked the spear out of Claudia with a rip of flesh and blood caked onto the spear tip. The dirty blonde let out a guttural yell of pain and her right hand flew to her side to try and stop the blood. She looked up, her face red with rage making her blue eyes stand out even more.

"I'm going to kill you!" she screamed out.

"Not if I do it first," Reyna growled back.

The crowd was back into the fight again. For a while the noise had dulled down due to the lack of blood...and well, death between the two. Now blood from Claudia's wound was dripping all over the sand they were standing and fighting on. A sloppy, but lucky move, Claudia slashed as hard as she could with her gladius, cutting Reyna's bottom arm right off. There was a collective gasp in the crowd as Reyna slowly watched her arm fall the floor motionless with the spear in her limp hand. She had so much adrenaline pumping through, she didn't even register the pain. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Claudia wipe the sweat from her forehead with her bloody hand, smearing red over her face. She had a big smirk on her face showing she now had an advantage over Reyna.

When the initial shock came over Reyna, she dropped to her knees and let out a gut wrenching scream of pain. It felt like her entire body was in fire and she was drowning in the River Phlegethon. But she refused to die without a last ditch effort to fight back. With her other arm she pried her dead fingers off the spear and picked it up. Reyna wasn't nearly as strong with her other hand, but she'd have to try.

Blood was still gushing from Claudia's stab wound, but she seemed to have forgotten it after she cut Reyna's spear arm clean off. Reyna was now fighting for her life, and Claudia seemed to basking in her glory. Reyna continued to fight even if her work was far more sloppy that she ever wanted it to be. The two of them exchanged blows and parries towards each other, not hitting one another for a few minutes. Reyna seemed to be gaining ground and confidence.

But it was all for nothing. Claudia was still in better condition than Reyna was. She took advantage that Reyna was fighting with her weak arm and her moves were getting worse as she lost more blood from her arm. Sand was kicking up into her eyes from the feet shuffling around the arena. It was almost like Claudia was doing it on purpose. Reyna narrowed her eyes at her opponent and growled. The blonde let out a bark of laughter and continued to try and blind Reyna with the sand.

At least she's a worthy opponent, Reyna grudgingly admitted.

Suddenly a force kicked her in the chest successfully knocking the wind out of Reyna making it hard to catch her breath. She was gasping the air trying to regain control of herself. Sand and dirt was flying around her from where she hit the floor blinding her temporarily. A sandal foot appeared on her chest pushing Reyna down more. She knew it was over then.

Claudia had a manic grin on her face and her gladius pointed at her throat ready to kill her. Reyna looked up behind her from the ground to see Emperor Nero looking down at the two of them with psychotic glee. Claudia was waiting for his approval to finish Reyna off once and for all.

The curly black haired Emperor stood up from his seat and grinned so wide that Reyna could see all his teeth. He jutted his hand forward with his thumb in the air. The crowd started to go wild and Reyna accepted her fate. She turned her head back to the blonde in front of her. Making one last eye contact before the sword cut her clean open through her heart killing her instantly.

Reyna had died a gladiatrix and her wish had come true. Everyone remembered how her arm got severed off but managed to fight on against her opponent. It was one of the bloodiest duels Rome has ever seen, making it well known to all. Reyna was one of the greatest gladiators Rome has seen.

* * *

 **Thank you! Read and review.**

 **Nico is on deck for tomorrow!**


	3. Angel of Death

**Here is day three! Nico is up.**

 **Context: Venice in 1348 when the height of the Black Death was occurring in what is Italy today.**

 **Just a disclaimer, I am not that religious but for the context of the story, almost everyone in Europe was highly religious. So I just thought it would make more sense to call Nico an Angel of Death and to make biblical references.**

 **And I'm sorry for what you're about to read. It might get sad.**

 **Terms:**

 **Death- one of the four horsemen of the Biblical Apocalypse**

 **Serf- a peasant who lives on a fief and serves a lord and works on the property of a lord**

 **Book of Revelation- Part of the New Testament in the Bible, about the Biblical Apocalypse**

* * *

 **1348, Venice, Republic of Venice**

They called him the Angel of Death. He had come into existence, neither have been born or died. Collecting the souls of the dead to bring them to the afterlife they deserved. Calling him the Angel of Death is wrong. He is not Death. He is just a follower of Death. Him and others do the reaping of souls on Earth for Death. Death appeared to Egypt when he had killed all the firstborns who were not protected by the blood of the lamb. And he will appear once again when the Book of Revelation shall come to pass. For now though, Death itself is in heaven waiting for its calling.

Nico had never met Death before. He had heard that they were so beautiful, that even an angel like himself would have his eyes burned out. Twelve sets of pure black wings, so large they covered Egypt for three days before he came down to slaughter.

If Nico knew better, he would've thought the apocalypse was starting now. Pestilence was making its way through Europe. Humans were dropping like flies by the hundreds every hour. Nico hadn't seen a plague this bad even in his existence. Not even a place so holy like Rome was safe from it. Nico and all his other fellow death angels were working over time, reaping souls left and right trying to get them to the afterlife whether it be in heaven, hell or purgatory. Nico had to wonder what God was up to and why he was cursing humans now. From what he has seen, God was their only hope. Many suffered enough as serfs working away six days a week from sunrise to sunset. They prayed and sung and recited the stories of the Bible every day. When he would come to collect their souls, they seemed almost, happy to die. Most would often ask if they were going to heaven. Nico wouldn't be able to say until he passed them on to other angels who were in charge of guiding them fully to the afterlife.

He was in Venice. The outbreak of whatever plague this was had just started. It has always been one of Nico's favorite spots. All the canals that connected the islands together to form a city were unique. But it was a shame that Nico was only there to collect the souls of those on their deathbeds. He had grown indifferent towards the reaping of souls. Some would be happy to see him come and saw him as mercy; others would be screaming and crying trying to evade him longer even if he did eventually catch up to them somehow.

Nico appeared in a little room inside a building on the the banks of the canals. The light was dim with candles and the windows and doors were tightly closed so the person inside was completely isolated. He floated over towards the bed where he saw a young girl in the bed. The younger the soul, the harder it was to reap.

The wool blanket was tucked tightly against her lean figure. Her dark brown hair was pulled back and out of her face. The little fine baby hairs stuck to her forehead as she suffered from cold sweats. Around her nose and mouth the skin had turned black. She had come down with the plague. Nico gently placed his hand down on the girl's head.

With just one touch he could see everything about the girl. Her name was Bianca di Angelo, she was twelve years old and had a whole life ahead of her. She was cold to the touch, and when she felt his presence her black eyes opened up to see him. When she saw him, her eyes widened and she started to cough. Nico sensed her panic and quietly shushed her.

Nico had never seen what he looked like before. He only has a brief idea because of what people have told him when he's come to them. Only if the lighting was right, he looked like a skeleton, but at the same time many people saw his beauty with his black wings and hair.

Bianca didn't bother to try and sit up in her bed. She was far too weak. Instead she just stared up at Nico for a few moments trying to accept her fate.

"Are you Death?" she quietly whispered.

Nico didn't want to speak with her. He knew that if he did, it would take longer to reap her soul and make it that much harder for her to accept that he was here to do his job before moving on to the next human.

But he just stared at the girl in front of him. Her olive skin tone had gone pale from the sickness, her freckles splashed across her nose that much more noticeable. She didn't seem scared of him, just curious. Nico had encountered few and far in between who acted like that in his presence. He folded his black wings behind his back and kneeled down on the wood floor. He moved his hand to hers and held it loosely. Nico felt a different connection with this girl. A brotherly one that he had not felt ever.

"I think you know the answer," he whispered.

Bianca slowly nodded her head. She closed her eyes in exhaustion and took a shaky deep breath in. Nico didn't move and just observed her. When she opened up her eyes again, they were glazed over in a thin sheet of water.

"What is your name?" she asked.

Nico pursed his lips together before answering, "Nico,".

She adjusted herself on the bed to be more comfortable. But she refused to let go of Nico's hand. She tilted her head back and looked up at the wall behind her. Her lips were moving in silence, but he could tell she was muttering a prayer. Nico looked up to see a golden cross above her bed.

"Nico," her hoarse voice called out.

He didn't say anything but she had his attention. She let a small smile graced her purple lips and she looked him directly in the eyes without fear.

"Do you know where I'm going now?"

She had asked the same question almost all people do before they die. And now he had to respond with the same answer he always told them. It was not his place to tell them.

"It is not my place to tell you God has in store for you in the afterlife Bianca di Angelo," he muttered.

It was silent for a few moments after that. Bianca turned her head towards the ceiling and was just staring at it. Nico had gently unlatched her fingers from his hand and stood up. The time had come for her. He spread his wings out from behind her.

"Are you ready?" he gently asked.

Bianca closed her eyes and nodded yes. Nico reached down to where her heart is. His hand phased into her body where a white glow came. He smiled as he saw the color of her soul as he reached out and held it in his hands. He released it and in its place stood Bianca looking like she should.

She turned around, confused for a few seconds before she faced Nico. A smile broke out on her face and Nico held his hand out to her. She grabbed it and together they flew out of the house and into Heaven where he gave her off to another angel to fully escort her inside the gates.

As she was walking into the light, she turned around.

"Thank you."

Nico only nodded with a small smile towards the girl before he flew down to earth to continue his eternal duty.

* * *

 **Percy is on deck tomorrow!**


	4. Ghost Pirate

**Here is day four! Percy is up!**

 **Context: Tortuga, Saint-Domingue 1558 (the Caribbean)**

 **Terms:**

 **Tortuga- a former notorious pirate port in what is now Haiti**

 **Saint-Domingue- the French colony name for what is now called Haiti**

 **Queen Elizabeth I- Queen of England from 1558-1603**

 **wench- slang for young woman**

 **And yes, I did get the a lot of inspiration from Pirates of the Caribbean. I listened to the soundtrack while writing this out.**

* * *

 **1558,Tortuga, Saint-Domingue**

Percy wasn't always cursed. When he was mortal, he sailed the seas under her Majesty Queen Elizabeth I of England. Joined a ship to become a merchant for the Crown. He wanted to explore the new world and all it's fine treasures. In his mortal state he was extremely loyal and ambitious. Always wanting to please his captain and serve his country proud. It wasn't until he met Calypso when things turned bad.

His ship had docked Tortuga, which they at the time were unaware that it's where pirates festered inside of. They had stopped for the night to stock up on supplies for the crew. When Percy woke up the next morning he found his entire crew was bound up by pirates with knives and swords held to their necks ready to slit their throats. The pirates were a mix of former sailors working for France and Spain along with natives of the Caribbean as well. Percy as captain of his ship was shocked when he saw the sight before him. His crew was innocent, only doing their jobs and no harm.

A woman with tan skin and angelic features came up to him. Her eyes were golden in color, giving a haunting look at Percy. Her light brown hair was plaited with many jewels making it glitter. She looked like she had just come out from the jungle for the first time. She had ripped cloths sewn together to make a dress with fishnets covering it on top. She radiated power and scared Percy, but she was beautiful. She walked right up to him so he was only a few inches from her face. She snapped her fingers and two bulky men grabbed his arms and put them behind his back.

"You have made a grave mistake my captain," her voice teased.

Her voice was melodic, soothing to the ear even if her message held very ominous tones. Percy raised an eyebrow and gulped trying to figure out his wording.

"How so?" he questioned back.

She barked out a laugh. Goosebumps appeared on his body and Percy felt a cold shiver go down his spine. The woman sharply stared into his eyes almost as if she was reading his soul. His heartbeat picked up but he remained calm on the outside.

"You have entered my territory, and now you must pay with your crew," she growled.

Her accent was very peculiar. Percy had never heard it before. He knew it wasn't French or Spanish or Portuguese. He figured she must be a native to the Caribbean. Percy took a glance around his crew who looked scared out of their wits. He needed to negotiate with this lady.

"You're a pirate aren't you? What's your name?" He boldly asked.

She gave a tight lip smile and gently touched his cheek. Her sharp nails scratched causing Percy to wince a little. She looked to be enjoying the moment too much for his liking.

"How observant you are. I am Calypso and you're about to pay my dear Perseus Jackson," she purred.

She slashed him with her nail caused him to scream out in pain. Percy could feel the blood dripping down his face and down his chin. He had never been in a position like this, and he felt obligated to free his crew in any way he could.

"Please I'm sorry. Let my crew go I'll do anything for you," he begged.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Calypso's crew digging their weapons into the necks of his own drawing some blood. He would never forgive himself if his crew died because of his stupid mistake. He stared into Calypso's golden eyes praying for some kind of mercy from her. Her tan hand grabbed his face roughly. He had never been manhandled by a woman before. She was the scariest person Percy had ever met. Her blackened lips stretched out in a eerie grin as she stared down at him.

"You really are one of the more handsome men I've met," she cooed.

Percy didn't know if he felt embarrassed or complimented. So he kept silent hoping that she was going somewhere with her point.

"Your eyes reflect the great ocean dividing the worlds. So unique… but I've seen the same look in those eyes before," she said slowly.

Percy narrowed his eyes at the pirate not knowing where she was going but not liking it.

"What do you mean?" he asked with caution.

A malicious grin formed on her face causing another chill to go down Percy's spine. In that moment it seemed that it was only him and Calypso were on his ship. Everyone else disappeared around him.

"Now I remember. I saw this look upon a man so many years ago right before I killed him. Oh, what was his name?" she fake pondered with a big grin still on her face.

"Porter Jackson?" she gleefully said.

Percy felt like he got struck by lightning. Hearing the name of his lost father sent a jolt through his body. He had been a sailor like Percy only to be lost at sea when he was just a child. His mother back in England was devastated when she found out. Now he knew that he was killed by the wench in front of him. A wave of fury came down on him. He started to struggled and yelled profanities that would make any sailor blush.

Calypso tsked at Percy and with the wave of a finger silenced him. Percy's eyes widened when he realized she was a witch. He tried to scream again but no sound came out.

"I knew that would get a cry from you. Oh you look so much like Porter."

She turned around and glanced at his crew being held hostage before turning back to Percy who was still under her silent spell. The jewels in her hair clanged together whenever she moved her head. She placed her hands behind her back with a thoughtful look on her face.

"How about I strike you a deal," she started.

One of Percy's crewmates yelled out to him.

"Captain Jackson! Don't trust her, she's a witch!" he screamed out.

Immediately his throat was sliced open by one of Calypso's henchmen and he was slumped lifelessly on the deck with blood gushing out of his neck. Calypso looked back at Percy with an eyebrow raised.

"Well Captain Jackson?" she asked.

She snapped her fingers and Percy could talk again. He knew that it was bound to be trickery, but he needed to save his crew even if that meant sacrificing himself.

"What do you want?" he softly asked.

A malicious twinkle and smile graced her beautiful features. She tilted her chin up proudly.

"I don't tell details to the deals I make. It's either you accept my it, or you and your crew die in a horrible, painful way. The choice is yours Captain."

Percy knew he was between a rock and a hard place. He understood the underlying rhetoric behind Calypso's words. Either he dies so his crew can live or everyone dies. As Captain of his ship, he was willing to put his life down to save others. His loyalty lied with his crew and the Crown. He would die for their honor. He closed his eyes in defeat and put his head down and sighed.

"I accept your offer Calypso," he muttered.

"Excellent."

She started to chant in a language that was unknown to him. It started off soft and slowly got louder until she was screaming. Percy looked up at her. She seemed to be in her own world as she was moving her arms and legs doing some dance. Percy could feel the air shift making him uncomfortable. Suddenly Percy felt a pang in his chest, right by his heart. He let out a scream of pain as he felt something come ripping out of his chest. It flew right into Calypso's hand and she grinned at him. She opened her palm where Percy's heart laid. His eyes widened and he screamed.

His crew now looked like they were coming straight from the bottom of the ocean. Barnacles, algae, starfish and coral were growing on their gray faces and arms. Some looked like a hybrid of sharks and humans. It was a grotesque sight to see. Fog drifted upon his deck veiling the ground and the legs of his crew. Out of the fog came a human shadow. When they cleared it Percy gasped. Black hair that was tied up in a low ponytail, tan skin and green eyes looked back at Percy. His admiral's uniform was ripped to shreds, but Percy would recognize him anywhere. He looked back to Calypso who was still grinning.

"Your heart is mine now Perseus Jackson. Enjoy eternity with your crew of pirates…"

That had happened over eighty years ago. Percy was cursed to live eternally with his ghost pirates on board the Flying Dutchman. Picking up souls who had died out at sea and killing those who got in his way. He was no longer loyal to a country. He was a myth, a scary story to tell children about at night. The ghost pirate, damned to sail the seas for all eternity.

* * *

 **Hazel is on deck for tomorrow!**

 **Thank you for reading!**


	5. Voodoo Witch

**Here is day five! Hazel is up!**

 **Just a warning, _HAZEL IS SO OUT OF CHARACTER._ It just happened really, and I didn't mean to write her so darkly, but it was kind of unavoidable. Also there is burning at the stake mentions and slavery. I don't go too into detail about either but it's there.**

 **And I don't know anything about voodoo, I tried to do some quick research about it while writing but honestly I could be so wrong in depicting it, so sorry.**

 **Context: 1692, Salem, Massachusetts during the Salem Witch Trials**

 **Terms:**

 **voodoo- a set of spiritual folkways that developed from the traditions of the African diaspora. (straight off of wikipedia)**

 **hemp- stuff rope is made out of**

* * *

 **1692, Salem, Massachusetts**

Hazel had taken every precaution to make sure she wasn't ever discovered. She didn't know who snitched her out, but when she found out she would make sure they suffered with her in the afterlife. There were plenty of witches in the colonies, and especially in Salem. Of course the ones she was in a cult with helped fight off the evil spirits that lurked in the shadows at night. But Hazel's witchcraft was different from the others.

Hazel's grandmother had been sold into slavery from Africa and sent to part of the French colony called New Orleans. With her she had brought her magic that she had been taught by her family as well. Louisiana voodoo was something that many slaves knew how to do and often used it with each other for protection. Hazel's mother had become a Voodoo Queen down in New Orleans within the slave population. The white folk had feared Marie Levesque and wanted her dead. But she had given all her tricks to Hazel. It was the only way to feel connected to her mother while she was forced to watch her burn at the stake in front of the whole town.

After Hazel soon fled north out of New Orleans, not wanting to be discovered for witchcraft there. Some white folk had found her traveling through and brought her up to Salem in the colony of Massachusetts. They were missionaries for Puritanism and had taken her in as their slave. Being a slave in the north was very different from where she was in the south. Hazel's duties were inside the house serving the white folk, not working out in fields and in the harbor all day doing back breaking work.

The clothes that covered up every inch of her body helped too. The women wore simple dresses that covered their necks all the way down to their ankles. Hair was tied back under a bonnet and only in simple colors that weren't bright. Hazel was able to cover up the runes that were tattooed into her arms and hands.

When she was of age, at sixteen she would sneak out of her master's house and into the woods surrounding the village. How her mother taught her all those years ago she would etch all the symbols from her ancestors into her skin to make sure that her magic would be forever intact with her body. Her dark skin helped hide them too.

She had found her other witches in town by being able to see the invisible enchantments over particular houses. They had formed together to protect their town from the demons and evil spirits hoping to torment souls. They carved runes into the tree barks creating a perimeter of magic. They had protected their people for years.

But then the trials began.

A mass hysteria had begun in the surrounding towns about witchcraft. People were accusing each other left and right. Many of her fellow witches soon fled the town hoping to find sanctuary somewhere else. Hazel couldn't though. She was bound to her master's family who had so graciously took her in.

There were other slaves in Salem. Hazel was friends with many of them because they had to stick together. They had all practiced voodoo or hoodoo with Hazel many times when the sun went down and they bonded together in the woods. Hazel was well known with white and black witches.

Her golden eyes made her seem even more mystical and magical many have told her. Her curly hair colored like cinnamon glittered in the candle light as if she had gold threads entwined in her hair. Many men had come after her in marriage only for her to decline.

But now she was accused of being a witch. And she knew she would stand trial against the citizens. Hazel knew though that no matter what, she was going to be damned to hell by the white Puritans and be sentenced to the same fate her mother had suffered all those years ago. There was no escaping the inevitable.

The moon was full as Hazel ran into the woods. There was a little lake a few miles out of Salem which is where she went to after dark. All her amulets that she had buried in the ground had been dug up and stolen. She turned to face the trees where she had carved in symbols only to see them scratched out. Someone who she knew had ratted her out and they had taken everything from her. Hazel fell to the ground and put her head in her hands. Those amulets had been passed down from generations in her family and now they were gone. Probably going to be melted and thrown away.

Hazel wanted to scream: _don't they understand that I'm trying to help and protect them?!_

But she couldn't give her location away. She had fled the town and had gone into hiding even though she knew that they would get her anyway. Anger started to form inside of Hazel. All the witches condemned to death had protected them from all the evil that they were blind to. Hazel was in a worse position. She was accused of a witch, and she was a slave. There was no way she would ever be found innocent.

She crawled over to the lake. The reflection of the moon was bright in the placid water giving enough light for Hazel to see her reflection. She opened up her fist and felt the similar tingle in her fingers. Her other hand gently pulled out the secret amulet that was her mother's. It glowed red, a ruby from the jungles of Africa that gave Hazel's family magic.

"If they want me to die, then I'll make them suffer too," she muttered.

Hazel closed her eyes and began chanting in her family's native tongue. A spell would be casted over Salem. She would curse every mother who gave birth to a boy first in the family to die in Salem for the next centuries. It would be when the boy and other children were old enough to watch their mother die right before their eyes like Hazel had to.

She opened her eyes while still chanting. They were glazed over white. Hazel raised one finger up where it was glowing red. She started searing runes onto her face while she chanted. There was no use in hiding her witchcraft any longer. They glowed red before turning black like the rest of the tattoos. As tears escaped from her eyes, they left black trail marks staining her cheeks forever.

When she finished she stood up with a new confidence and walked through the woods back to Salem. She was ripping the Puritan dress that the white folk had forced her to wear. Her arms were glowing red with the runes on her and a red mist was forming around her hands as she sang old songs from her family's tribe softly.

"There she is!" A man screamed.

Hazel heard the footsteps crunching against the leaves that were falling off the trees. There were loud gasps as they came across her. She had her eyes closed but she smiled hearing their scared sounds.

"Oh my god," one muttered.

"She really is from Hell!"

"Look at her arms and face! She's glowing red!"

She didn't move from her spot. She was waiting for them to bound her with hemp. Soon they realized she wasn't going to move and they rounded her up and dragged her back to town. Even though it was late into the night, all the candles in the houses were flickered on, the townspeople were standing outside of their doors waiting to see what was going to happen.

"We got her! We got the witch Hazel Levesque right where we thought she was!" The leader of the search party boasted.

"And now it's time for her to burn back to Hell where she belongs!"

The search party cheered at their victory, but the other townsfolk looked ominous and scared of Hazel. She walked past her master's family who cowered away from her in fear. They had never done that before. The Abbott family would be the only one safe from her curse.

They threw her forward and tied her even more to the stake that was surrounded by hay to burn. The people had started to gather in the middle of town to watch her burn. In front of her the man who had led the party to her capture spoke up. He was charismatic and manipulative Hazel observed.

"We have found Hazel Levesque in the woods! She is a witch and one different from the rest! Her arms and face glow red with satanic symbols! Singing songs from where she came from; from her tribe of witches and warlocks. She has no trial needed, this negro needs to burn!" he shouted.

Hazel let out a bark of laughter that echoed into the night. She threw her head back against the wooden stake and stared deeply into the eyes of the man who captured her.

"I've been protecting you for years without you even knowing it. Keeping the demons and evils spirits away from Salem. But now that's all over. You stole my family's amulets and scratched out my protection and with it, you have stolen my kindness and guard. I curse Salem until my people are free, that every mother who bears a son first will die when their children are old enough to remember it like I had to suffer! I will always haunt your ancestors until we are given justice!" she screamed.

Panic was spreading throughout the townsfolk now. Hazel's arms and face glowed red with the tattoos and her eyes were clouded over white still. She turned her head towards the family that taken her in.

"Only will the descendants of the Abbotts have amnesty from my curse!"

"Enough of this blasphemy!" The leader shouted.

He had a torch in his hand and he was raising it up high into the air for all to see. The flames flickered with embers into the black sky.

"She is a witch and she will burn now!"

He threw the torch into the hay and the fire spread rapidly toward her. Hazel felt the heat of the flames and she laughed as it charred her skin. She couldn't feel a thing.

"You will always be cursed!" She screamed.

Then she muttered a spell and felt herself disappear from the stake. Leaving only the echo of her last words and laughter hanging in the air.

* * *

 **Piper is on deck for tomorrow!**


	6. Cursed Bride

**Here is day six! And we have Piper!**

 **Man, I keep writing these out of character. I mean I don't know why, but it just happens. These stories are dark because I guess I'm just super into the mood of darkness and eeriness of halloween. So yeah, Piper is super out of character for this one too. Sorry.**

 **And I'm putting my AP Euro knowledge to the test in here. A lot of historical references.**

 **This was also really influenced by the Haunted Mansion (the ride). There's one point where you see all the husbands of the bride who she killed with a hatchet, which is where this idea sprouted from.**

 **Warning: mentions of murder and being beheaded.**

 **Context: 1793, Paris, France during the height of the French Revolution**

 **Terms:**

 **Guillotine- a machine used to behead people**

 **Ancien Regime- the political and social system in France before the Revolution of 1789.**

 **Maximilian Robespierre- prominent leader of French Revolution and in charge of the Reign of Terror**

 **Committee of Public Safety- in charge of cleansing all the people "against the revolution" and headed by Robespierre**

 **Reign of Terror (or just The Terror)- from 1793-1794 anyone who was accused of betraying the Revolution and Republic was guillotined**

* * *

 **1793, Paris, France**

 _France was better off with the King_ , Piper thought as she looked down from her balcony of her estate.

The streets were bustling with people trying to get from point A to point B. Many walked with their heads hung low trying not to make eye contact with anyone else. It was dangerous to do so. One wrong look can send you to the guillotine and have a public execution for all of Paris to see. She would know, she sent three of her husbands to it.

Piper was born in France to Venus d'Olympique, a wealthy socialite in France with many connections in Europe. Never knowing who her father was, she was raised in France in the aristocracy. Lavish clothes, makeup and fragrances were handed to her. At first she had wanted nothing to do with it. She would rather play out in the streets with the boys than fit into another corset or attend another salon with her mother and airhead, fake enlightenment lady friends. But as she got older, and prettier she realized that there was no escaping the life she was in.

Until the Revolution came. Piper saw it as her way out of this lifestyle, to be liberated. But at that time she was already married to her first husband Alexandre Delacroix. An aristocrat who loved to kiss up to the King and only wanted Piper to show her off. She hated him and the marriage she was in. But she acted proper to please him until she saw her time to get rid of him. When the revolutionaries overthrew the Ancien Regime she had fed him to the him with a hatchet she bought off the black market. She then hired criminals to dispose of the body and told the authorities that he was a traitor to the revolution and assumed that extremists had taken him while she was away. That was when she got the idea of how to dispose of all the toxic aristocratic men left in France.

Piper d'Olympique was the most beautiful woman in all of Paris. When she became a widow the first time, she went looking for her next victim to take out. She was a wonderful actress. She would flirt with every man she could, even daring to go with Maximilien Robespierre. She saw his potential well before he came into power later on.

She took her second husband in 1790, less than a year after the "disappearance" of Alexandre Delacroix. He was an a young man, quite handsome too. Jacques Favreau took the hand of Piper without any knowledge that she would kill him less than six months into the marriage. He was murdered in his bed in the middle of the night with a hatchet mark in the middle of his head. Piper's alibi was that she slept in the other room and was unaware that an intruder had entered her home. The authorities believed her of course, she had a wonderful way with words.

The murder of Jacques Favreau made tabloids all over Paris and France. Piper was once again in the spotlight as an eligible bachelorette in Paris. Many people comparing her beauty to Aphrodite and Helen of Troy. Wealthy men came flocking to her with proposals. Piper sought out the worst man as her next victim. Pierre Travert, a pompous lawyer was her next victim.

The wedding of Piper d'Olympique and Pierre Travert was covered in all the popular newspapers. She acted like she was in love with him, trying to find love after the unfortunate circumstances of her late husbands. It was all an act to trick the Parisian and French people. It was her twisted way of contributing to the Revolution and rebel against her aristocratic upbringing.

Pierre never loved Piper. He only sought out marriage to make himself more wealthy. But that was okay. Piper didn't plan on him being around long anyway. They never lasted more than a few months anyway. Pierre was never home, coming back deep into the night. Piper assumed he was gallivanting with other prostitutes giving into his needs. Piper refused to be intimate with him, claiming to be infertile. Since he was never home, she had to figure out a way to kill him off.

She had been talking and flirting with Danton and Robespierre, knowing they were in charge of France now. Accusations were being thrown around everywhere of being turncoats. The Jacobins were ruthless against anyone who opposed them. When the revolution came together, the first to go was King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette. Then it was their political rivals the Girondins. The aristocracy had fled France to take asylum with the Habsburgs or the Stuarts in England. As 1793 rolled around, the deaths became more frequent.

If you were suspected of thinking against the Revolution, you were rounded up and guillotined. Those who were afraid called it the Terror. Piper wasn't afraid. No, this was her way of getting rid of the poisonous men. Soon she had started to whisper in Robespierre's ear, knowing that paranoia was slowly consuming him. Telling him all the people she suspected of revolting against his reign.

He had sent out his police force and rounded them all up. Piper just watched from the background as she controlled him. That is how she got her third husband killed by guillotine. Of course she cried about how she was cursed with bad marriages. Put on a show for everyone to gather pity. People fell for it of course. They always would. It was amazing how rhetoric and acting can persuade people to choose sides. Piper was a well enlightened woman, she knew how to work it to her advantage. Even with all her husbands dying or "disappearing", she was still able to snatch men to marry her. People had started to call her _la mariée maudit._ The cursed bride.

Her fourth and final husband Augustin Leon was just as ignorant as the others. Fooled by her beauty and charms to see through her. She was bought another glamorous wedding dress to walk down the aisle and saw empty vows in Notre Dame. It was a big event and the people of Paris thought Piper had finally found love. They had lasted the longest. Married in 1792, they had lasted almost an entire year. Piper had once again kept in touch with Robespierre, flirting and digging her way into his thoughts. An anonymous note given to the Committee of Public Safety captured Augustin Leon and accused him of conspiracy.

As he was lined up to the guillotine, Piper in her beautiful red gown had walked up and crouched down to him. She gave him a sickly sweet grin with a malicious glint in her eye. Poor Augustin was quite intelligent and he saw Piper for who she was. His blue eyes had widened and she started to scream.

"Traitor! My wife had turned me in for dead! She is the true traitor to Robespierre!" he shouted desperately.

She stood back up and faced the crowd with a sorrow filled face. The slice of the guillotine echoed in the air as Augustin's head was chopped off and into the wicker basket. Now she was alone on her balcony reminiscing.

Public executions had already happened at high noon today. She didn't bother to attend, there were so many who were dying by the day. She had started the process over again, but had no luck. It seems that after having four husbands killed, Piper was considered cursed and unlucky. Even her looks and charm did her no good this time. She was okay with that though. She walked back into her estate. It was quiet like usual. She walked over to her closet and pushed back her lavish and expensive dresses. Behind them was a long box that was collecting dust. She picked it up and put it on her bed and opened it up. Inside was the same hatchet she had used to kill her first and second husbands. The blood was stained on the now rusted and dull blade. She had no one else to kill. She put it back in the box and went into her closet again. She pulled out her third wedding dress.

It was beautiful really. Made of silk and gold threads, the bodice was cream colored with gold patterns decorating swirls on it. The sleeves went off her shoulders and the train of the dress went beautifully with her figure. She had worn many pearls and gems to that wedding. The circlet that she wore on her head looked just as beautiful as she remembered it. Piper stripped off her dress and put the wedding dress on. It still fit her perfectly and she looked at herself in the mirror. She turned her head and saw the hatchet still laying on the bed. Piper walked over and picked it up. She held it up like she was holding a bouquet of flowers and grinned maliciously at herself in the mirror.

" _Here comes the bride,_ " she muttered softly before laughing with malice.

* * *

 **Leo is on deck for tomorrow!**


	7. Burned Miner

**Here is day seven! Leo is up.**

 **This was written weeks ago, and I haven't read through it since then but I hope you all like it!**

 **Context: 1864, Nevada, United States in the Sierra Nevada mountains**

 **Terms:**

 **Transcontinental Railroad- a railroad line in the US that connected the East to the West**

 **Nitroglycerin- an extremely deadly explosive used back then to blow through mountains**

 **gringo- spanish slang for white people**

 **James Howden- produced the nitroglycerin on sight of the job**

* * *

 _ **1864, Nevada, United States**_

Leo Valdez came to America to be free. He was born in Texas, which had been a Republic when he was born before it had become a state. Now with the American Civil War ripping the nation into pieces the Union was hiring people left and right to finish something called the Transcontinental Railroad. He didn't really know what he was signing up for, but it was a job and it was a mechanical one which Leo could do.

The bosses of this mechanical feat wanted it to be complete by the time 1869 came rolling around. It was 1864 at the current moment. It seemed almost impossible considering they had to blast their way through the Sierra Nevadas which had killed and trapped Americans going out west years ago. But the people were determined to do it.

As Leo lit his cigarette and straightened out his straw hat he was casually walking with his pickaxe over his shoulder. It was sweltering hot this morning and beads of sweat were already forming on his face. The white people watching over in their nicely tailored clothing were writing things down on their paper. Leo smirked and let out a wolf whistle.

"Hey _gringos_ I hope your trousers don't get too dirty today, would hate it if they got ripped!" he taunted.

They looked up with their monocles in their eyes and their bushy mustaches. They just gave him a glare before going back to whatever they had to do. For good measure he spit by their shoes making them scamper back like a rat had just ran past them.

"You dirty latino! Get back to work!" One of the more daring ones called out.

Leo just rolled his eyes and continued on his way to his post. There were other immigrants working on the railroad. Most were from China or Ireland but he had some spanish speaking ones as well. He started hacking at the limestone.

"We blowing up anything today chicos?" he asked.

"Oh yeah. And we volunteered you to do it. You're the best with fire," Miguel answered not looking up.

Leo just grunted in response. There was truth the the statement. He was the best with fire and explosives. Plus he was getting paid to do this stuff, so he didn't really care all too much. They hacked away for what seemed like hours, putting in the rails, nailing them together and laying wood in between them before putting gravel in between the planks.

"Valdez!" one of the gringos called.

He looked over to his friends with a smirk on his face lighting another cigarette and placing it between his lips.

"It's show time chicos," he said smugly before walking over to the gringo.

" _S í señor gringo_?"

The tall man in nice clothes just grunted in response obviously not happy with Leo. He pointed to the cave that had been dug out over the past weeks. Leo knew what that meant. It was time to do the real dangerous stuff. He took the cigarette out of his mouth, tapped out some ashes before putting it back in.

"Blow up the cave further. We need to keep on schedule."

"Sure thing," he curtly responded before walking away to get the supplies.

He strutted away from the man making his way back towards the main tent where the explosives were kept. The ringing of the pickaxes echoed in his ears and the songs of all the immigrants singing to keep the time along with the gringos yelling at them to work faster so they can stay on track and save their own asses. Leo didn't like it, but he dealt with it because without this job he'd be unemployed.

When he entered the shade he stopped for a second to look at all the wooden crates full of highly explosive elements. He's done this a hundred times before, he was the best when it came to this stuff. Bottles were filled with gunpowder and nitroglycerin making it extremely deadly if you make one wrong move.

Leo wiped the sweat from his brow again. He took the cigarette out and dropped it on the floor stomping on it with his leather boots. He had to make sure it was out especially near something so deadly. He took a deep breath and walked over to the stack of crates. He picked up the one on top and started to make his way back over to the cave.

Every person who walked past them evaded him like he had the plague. No one wanted to step near someone who had the explosives in their hands. Leo kept his head high and his smirk present on his face. Even the gringos, who had assigned him to do this job took a couple of steps back and looked on with scared faces.

"Bet you gringos are happy you don't have to do the dirty work eh?" Leo called out making himself and some others laugh at their uncomfort.

None of them responded that time. Which was smart on their behalf because Leo could easily just chuck one at them and kill them if he desired. But he was a decent human being and wouldn't do that.

When he entered the cave, there were many people still digging out the rock. Torches dimly lit the dark place making the shadows bigger. As he walked further inside many stopped what they were doing for a second to see what Leo was up to. When they saw the wooden crate with the glass bottles their eyes would widen and they would start digging faster. Leo walked to the end of the cave where some others were waiting for them. They spoke broken english, which was enough for Leo. He spoke a whole different dialect from the gringos so he might as well be speaking broken english.

He gently put the box on the floor of the cave. The two men he was working with were Chinese immigrants. Their names were Tai Weng and Hua Jiang. They were around Leo's age, twenty one and had the same hopes and dreams of every immigrant who stepped foot in America, the land of opportunity.

The three of them started digging holes to place the explosives inside. They worked quickly and diligently to get the job over and done with for the day.

"Wish I was with Howden making these chemicals instead of almost dying by them," Leo muttered as he slowly poured a bottle of the deadly substance into the holes.

"That is just as dangerous as this job," Tai Weng responded.

"At least I'd get paid more," Leo muttered again.

Hua Jiang stood up from the ground where the holes were. He dusted off his pants and shirt and adjusted his hat. When Tai Weng and Leo were done they did the same. Leo cleared his throat.

"Explosion is about to happen! Everyone get out and stay away from the blast zone now!" he yelled down the cave.

Everyone else in there quickly stopped what they were doing and evacuated the place leaving the three of them alone. Leo quickly placed a little gunpowder at the edge of the holes so they would ignite faster and cause a bigger explosion.

Tai Weng and Hua Jiang watched on with anxiousness. No matter how many times they did it, it was still nerve wracking. This could be their final moments on earth, or they would live on to tell the tale. Leo stood up and turned towards them.

"Thank you, you may leave now. I will ignite the fuses."

The two Chinese immigrants looked at each other with confusion written on their faces. They seemed to be having a silent conversation before turning back to Leo.

"We will not leave brother in here alone," Tai Weng said.

Hua Jiang shook his head no. "We work together, we die together."

In the dim lighting due to all the torches being snuffed out, he could barely see the two of them. But he could imagine their determination not to leave him alone to potentially die. And it made him feel really good. He had never had friends before, no one who wanted him. Leo had always been by himself. But ever since coming to work here, no matter how grueling and terrible the work is, he made some great friends. Leo gave them a small smile. He took a deep breath in and did a long exhale. From his pocket he pulled out a lighter.

"Let's get this show on the road boys," he said with a smirk present on his face.

Hua Jiang and Tai Weng pulled out their own lighters as well and ignited them. They all slowly walked over and bent down in front of the holes where the nitroglycerin was. He could hear the two of them praying in chinese. He took the cross necklace that was from his mother and kissed it before putting it back under his shirt. He said a quick hail mary in spanish and prayed to his mother like he always did before he lit up explosives.

With calm hands he put the flame to the gunpowder which immediately ignited in a grand flame. Hua Jiang and Tai Weng followed and they stood up. The three of them looked at each other for a split second too long. A loud explosion went off sending Leo into the limestone wall. The intense heat seared off his skin and burned it.

The risk of explosives had finally shown it's ugly face. Not everyone survived this. Leo Valdez was a burned miner.

* * *

 **Annabeth is on deck for tomorrow!**


	8. The Buried Archaeologist

**This was written well over a year ago, and was the original inspiration for this whole thing. I hope you like it!**

 **Context: 1903, Valley of Kings, Egypt**

 **Terms:**

 **Valley of Kings- a valley in Egypt where, for a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC, tombs were constructed for the Pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom**

 **Howard Carter- the famous archaeologist who discovered King Tut's tomb in 1922**

* * *

 _ **1903, Valley of Kings, Egypt**_

Annabeth loved her job. As an archaeologist she was able to travel all over the world and recover artifacts that past human civilizations have left for humanity today. It was just the turn of the century and women were starting to gain the rights they finally deserved. Well, not really considering it was only 1903. But she was lucky enough to attend Harvard University and get a job right out of college. Annabeth was not a regular woman. A woman at her age, which is twenty two should already be married and bearing children. She was never a fan of having children anyway.

She and her crew were located in the deserts of Egypt trying to locate old tombs of the ancient pharaohs. So far they've gotten nothing but a lot of sand everywhere. It was kind of frustrating but they had all signed up for this archaeological adventure. Annabeth Chase was always up for a challenge, and she knew that finding new tombs of Ancient Egypt could be dangerous.

The entire crew had locals help them guide across the deserts of Egypt with the camels they had. Only the people who helped carry the expensive new device called cameras walked on the sand. It would be too bumpy to have that equipment on the back of a camel. Cameras were not easy to come by that was for sure.

As they trekked, the sun was beating down hard on top of Annabeth's skin making it burn a red color. She sighed and put her curly blonde hair up in a nice bun to keep it from sticking to the back of her neck. The light blouse she was wearing did not help her feel less hot. The black trousers and leather boots she had on were burning her a little bit and she regretted that choice in clothes just a little bit.

"Feeling a little sweaty there Chase?" One of her fellow crew mates asked her.

Being the only woman on the crew, she was often ostracized for being there. Women were still considered inferior and she tried not to let the men get to her. She huffed and grabbed the reins on the camel again.

"Just as much as you are," she retorted back.

The man shut up after that. Annabeth prided herself on her quick thinking and wit. It wasn't often that women had that talent and showed it off. But Annabeth let nothing back. She made it this far in a male-dominated world, she could only keep going forward from here.

In the distance Annabeth saw some blue contrasting with the light yellow tint of sand that surrounded her. She squinted her eyes just to make sure she was seeing correctly.

"Is that the Nile over there?" she asked.

Annabeth saw all the men squinting their eyes to see the little strip of blue and green over the horizon. It was easy to miss but if you concentrated enough you could see it.

"I think it is m'dear," the leader of the crew, Howard Carter said.

He was from England so Annabeth sometimes had a hard time trying to figure out what he was saying at times. England has so many different accents it was hard to decipher some words that were coming out of their mouths. She was from Virginia herself, and she knew that there was a southern twang in her accent at times. They all learned to deal with each other though.

As the camels kept going, the blue strip of the Nile got larger in the distance. But something else also caught Annabeth's eye. There were edges of rocks that jutted out and something down below the high rocks. It looked like a valley of some sorts. The sight intrigued Annabeth and she willed her camel to move just a little bit faster. The men followed in her lead wanting to know what sparked her curiosity.

When the finally stopped in front of the valley there was complete silence. There wasn't even any wind blowing the sands in their eyes and mouth. It was a dead silence. She looked over to see the faces of all her fellow comrades. Their eyes were wide and mouths were hanging open in shock. She was willing to bet she looked the same way.

Howard took a deep breath in. "This is the Valley of Kings," he declared with awe.

They've all heard of this famous landmark. Hearing about it is one thing, but seeing it with your own eyes is a completely other experience all together.

"Well, what are we waiting for lads? Let's go!" Howard said leading the way on his camel.

Annabeth followed in after him taking in all the rising dunes and rock pillars that shot up like those skyscrapers that were being built in New York City. When they reached a clearing, the crew all jumped off their camels and got their gear ready for exploring. There had to be so many tombs just waiting to be discovered, Annabeth thought.

They all split up and started to cover every mile of ground they could. Annabeth traveled close to the edges hoping to find a door that lead to an underground tomb. She kept her left hand touching the rock and slowly sliding her tan fingers across the rock. While she was doing that, she was observing every inch of the magnificent place surrounding her. How many times in her life will she be able to say that she went to the Valley of Kings? Not much, that much she could say.

Finally, she felt a crevice in the rock formation and she gasped with excitement. She kept her left hand on the wall while she took out a chisel and duster to get away at the hardened rock sediment and dust it away hoping to reveal a door. When she completed doing that, there was in fact a door. It was very old and rotted away so she was able to lift it up and out with ease. Inside it was dark and she couldn't see anything.

Out of her backpack she took out a flashlight and turned it on. "I found something!" She screamed while looking into the unknown abyss. She will admit, that she was feeling a little scared going into the unknown. But what's life without a little risk? That was always her motto and she would steal her nerves and continue living with that motto. She heard her fellow crew members running towards her with excitement.

When the found her they were all trying to catch their breaths. Some were bent over heaving in and out. It was a few minutes before they were back to normal.

"What'd you find Chase?"

"It's a door to a tomb I think. It's too dark to see anything for more than five feet. But I'm going in to explore," She explained.

One of the nicer men stepped forward. He looked scared for her and hesitant.

"Annabeth, I don't think you should do that. It could be really dangerous."

She just sighed and looked at the man. She'd always liked him because he treated her as an equal.

"Michael, you and I both know that signing up for this job is dangerous. But I found something, and I need to go exploring into it so I can find out what it is and figure out more about how the Egyptians lived. It's part of the job description."

Michaels brown eyes were looking towards the sand and he looked sad that he might lose a comrade. Annabeth put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"What's life without a little risk?" She asked.

Annabeth and Michael looked each other in the eyes for a second and she gave him a small smile. Then she looked at the rest of her crew dead in the eyes.

"I'm going in whether you like it or not."

There was silence for a few seconds. Then the man who she didn't like, Patrick said, "Good luck in there Chase."

She just nodded at him in response. Annabeth flicked on the flashlight and started to descend into the unknown. The flashlight provided little light after the opening eventually became so minuscule that it provided no natural light from the outside world. The walls were covered with these intricate and colorful hieroglyphics that depicted all these different stories. This reminded her of the ancient Greek myths. She felt like she was Theseus inside the labyrinth looking for the Minotaur to kill. Except she didn't have Ariadne's string to guide her through. She was on her own.

There were many different doors that opened up to new paths inside. She was amazed that the Egyptians were able to create such elaborate tomb structures underground. It could be highly unstable she thought. Even though that thought was a little unnerving, she kept going through with her advances.

Every time she entered a chamber, she thought she had found the actual tomb of the pharaoh mummy. Instead she find loads and loads of these gold and gems which was enough riches to make the United States rich for decades to come. Cat statues were painted black and gold were everywhere protecting the mummy who was laid to rest somewhere in the tomb. Every time she entered one of these, it was just an antechamber. More hieroglyphics were seen presenting new stories of Ancient Egyptian history that she wouldn't be able to figure out because she didn't know how to read them properly. She knew some symbols, but that was about it. Annabeth's forte was in ancient greek, she could decipher that stuff easily as adding and subtracting.

She didn't know how long she had been inside the tomb walls, but she realized that she'd been in there for probably a while. Even though she didn't find the actual tomb of the mummy she wanted, she had a nice memory on how she got there. So she could just continue tomorrow.

Annabeth started to make her way back again. Finding her way out was a little difficult though. Occasionally she'd hear scarabs and snakes slithering past her feet and she'd let out a little scream in fear. Nothing actually bit her though which she was thankful for. She could feel the air pressure becoming a little lighter as she made her way back up.

She was about five hundred feet from the entrance when she felt it. There was a little rumbling underneath her feet and sand started to fall down from the ceiling cracks. She looked up and covered her eyes from the sand trying to figure out what was happening. Suddenly, the ground started to shake more violently; so much so that she was barely able to run her way out. Cracks started to appear more in the ceiling and walls making Annabeth more nervous. She could hear the faint voices of her comrades.

"Are you okay down there Chase?"

"Are you screaming? Do you need help?!"

"What's happening down there?"

The ceiling finally cracked and a large piece of it fell onto her head making a giant cut form on her head and covering her blonde hair with crimson blood. She let out a painful wail. Sand poured on top of her quickly making her panic even more.

"Annabeth? Annabeth!" Michael screamed.

More pieces of the ceiling fell on either around her or on top of her making Annabeth crumple to the ground in pain. Blood was spilling everywhere staining her white shirt and the light yellow sand that was quickly engulfing her body.

"Help me!" She screamed.

Annabeth almost wanted to think it was a curse that the ancient pharaoh had set on his tomb. Trespassers would be punished if they entered their tomb. And Annabeth was that trespasser. She wasn't really into supernatural things like that, but it seemed like an almost logical reason in her state of panic.

As the final trick, a horde of spiders came crawling out of the walls surrounding her in a black tornado. Spiders had always been her worst fear and this was like living a real life nightmare. They crawled up her body and surrounded her like a cocoon making her scream even more than before. Soon sand was up to her face and she was struggling to breathe. In her final moments of life, she had accepted her fate.

She had followed her motto of taking risks and look at where that got her. Annabeth Chase was now a buried archaeologist.

* * *

 **Jason is on deck tomorrow for the final installment of this series!**


End file.
